Footsoldier in front of a Tree
mid-17th century
Medium
Engraving
Dimensions
Sheet: 1 7/8 × 1 9/16 in. (4.8 × 4 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1930
Accession Number
30.53.13
Tags
Art Historical Context
**Footsoldier in Front of Tree** is a delicate engraving by Barthel Be, created in the mid-17th century. just 1 7/8 × 1 9/16 inches, this tiny print exemplifies the precision of Renaissance-era engraving techniques, where intricate are incised into a metal plate to capture fine details. Beham, part of the German "Little Masters" known for their small-scale works, masterfully renders the solitary footsoldier standing before a tree, armed and poised in a moment of quiet vigilance. The medium's significance lies in its reproducibility—engravings like this allowed artwork to reach a wide audience ...
About the Artist
Barthel Beham · 1502–1540
Barthel Beham (1502–1540), a pivotal figure in the German Renaissance, was born in Nuremberg into a family of artists. The younger brother of the renowned engraver Hans Sebald Beham, he honed his craft under the tutelage of his elder sibling and the master Albrecht Dürer, absorbing the precise techniques of engraving and painting that defined Nuremberg's vibrant artistic scene. Emerging as a prodi...